Metal extension slide structure



Jan. 20, 1953 F. B. WALTER METAL EXTENSION SLIDE STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1949 wuuu INVEN TOR.

E, ,a m m m A OHNE'K 1953 F. B. WALTER METAL EXTENSION SLIDE STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 25, 1949 INVENTOR. fiz'pmrc'ira ak-Z1731? W; ag mz.

F. B WALTER I METAL EXTENSION SLIDE STRUCTURE Jan. 20, 1953 Filed July 25, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JNVENTJR.

FkwmIc'K-B 213L757?) 5% mm a Patented Jan. 20, 1953 METAL EXTENSION SLIDE STRUCTURE Frederick B. Walter, Wabash, Ind., assignor to B. Walter & Company, Wabash, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application July 25,1949, Serial No. 106,522

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a metal slide structure, and finds its primary utility in connection with the separable elements of an extension table structure, though certain embodiments of the invention are also adaptable to use in drawer slides and other similar assemblies. The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel extension slide mechanism, the major ele ments of which lend themselves to construction from sheet metal. A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character described in which, very inexpensively, maximum relative movement of the rails is provided, while retaining structural rigidity among the elements. A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of the character under consideration in which the individual elements, made from sheet metal, may be unusually inexpensive in manufacture, and whereby the elements may be assembled in an unusually inexpensive fashion. A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for guarding against sagging in an extension table structure. Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an extension table embodying two slide structures constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 2, 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of an extension slide structure constructed in accordance with my invention, shown in collapsed condition;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one rail, showing the sliding shoes assembled therewith;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a companion rail adapted to be assembled with the rail of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end elevational view of the assembly of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective of a shoe forming an element of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the rails of Figs. 4 and 5 in assembled and fully collapsed relation;

Fig. 9 is a similar View, the rail of Fig. 5 having been moved somewhat in an extending direction;

Fig. 10 is a similar View after the rail of Fig. 5 has been further moved in the same direction;

' Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the parts in fully extended condition; and

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the rail of Fig. 5 after it has been started toward collapsed position.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, it will be seen that I have illustrated a table comprising separable sections 20 and 2| connected and guided by extension slide structures indicated generally by the reference numerals 22 and 23. The structure 22 comprises a central or intermediate rail 24 which, in some assemblies, will be fixed to a central table frame structure (not shown), a supplementary rail fixed to the table section 20, and a supplementary rail 26 fixed to the table section 2|. The assembly 23 comprises elements 24', 25' and 26' entirely analogous to the elements 24, 25 and 26, respectively.

Since the assemblies 22 and 23 are identical, only one of them has been illustrated, and will be described, in detail.

The intermediate rail 24, illustrated in detail in Fig. 4, is formed to provide oppositely opening channels of generally C cross section. I have found that such a member may advantageously be made in the particular manner herein illustrated; the built-up structure being substantially less expensive than any unit of corresponding shape, produced in any other fashion known.

Thus, the rail 24 comprises a sheet metal channel member 21 including a web 28 and lateral flanges 29 and 3B projecting in a common direction from the lateral edges of the web. A similar channel member 3| comprises a web 32 and similar lateral flanges 33 and 34. The two channels 21 and 3| are assembled in back-to-back relation,

their webs 28 and 32 being in abutment, and their flanges extending oppositely from the common plane of abutment, the flanges 29 and 34 being gaging the free edges of the flanges 29'and 34,

respectively. A channel 39 similar to the channel 35 is similarly associated with the flanges 30 and 33, its web 49 abutting the external surfaces of said flanges, and its flanges 4| and 42 overlyingand engaging the free edges of the flanges 30 and 33. The webs 36 and 4|] will preferably be secured to the flanges 29 and 34 and the flangesv 30 and 33, respectively, by spot welding as at 43.

Thus, from sheet metal channels, there is constructed a rail formed to provide a central web, made up of the webs 28 and 32, having lateral flanges projecting in opposite directions from each lateral edge of the web, and made up of the flanges 29, 38, 33 and 34 and of the webs 36 and 40, each such flange terminating in a lip 31, 38-, 4! or 42 projecting-toward its com.

panion lip and disposed in a common plane therewith.

The rail 26 comprises a sheet metal channel 44 including a web 45 and lateral flanges- .46 and 41 projecting in a common direction from the lateral edges thereof. A sheet metal channel 48 has its web 49 disposed in-abutmentwiththe flange 46, one flange 50 of the channel 48 being, throughout at least a portion of its length, in abutment with the web 45, and the other flange of the channel 48 overlying and engaging the free edge of the flange 46. A further sheet metal channel 52 is similarly associated with the flange 41, its web 53abutting said flange, its flange 54 abutting the web 45, and

its fl'an'ge 55 overlying and engaging the free edge of" the flange 41. will besuitably secured" in' position; as by spot welding, to the flanges 46 and 41 or to the web 45', or both; and it will be seen that the-integrated structure provides a web having lateral flanges projecting in a common direction, and lips projecting from the free edges of said flanges toward each other, and disposed in a common plane:

tions, 51 therein for the accommodation of fastening'meanswhereby the rail 26' may be secured to, for instance; the table top section-2 I.

The railv 25 is substantially similar to the rail 26, comprising a sheet metal channel 58 formed to provide a web 59 and lateral flanges 60 and BI. A sheet metal channel'62 has its web 53 abutting the flange 68, its flange 64 abutting the web 59, and its flange 65 overlying and engaging the free edge of the flange 30. The channel 62 will be providedflwith a portion 66.formed with perforations 61, these parts being similar to the portions 56 and 51 of the channel 48. A channel 68 is similarly assembledwith the flange 6|, its web 89 abutting said flange, itsflange T8 abutting the web 59, and its-flange II overlying and engaging the free edge of the flange. (il The. channels 62, and 68l will, be suitably secured to the. flanges 80-- and-6 l respectively, .asby spotwelding.

Two, shoes "Hand 13: are slidably mounted in thechannel defined by the web 28, flanges .29

and 30, and lips 3:! and 4| and two shoes are similarlyslidably received inthe channeldeflned by the web 32, flanges 33 and 34, and lips 28 and 42, only one of said last-mentioned shoes, 74, being illustrated in Fig. 6. The four shoes are identical in construction, and therefore only one'has beenlillustrated in detail in Fig. 7. Each shoe -comprises a body portion 15 of sheet metal having lateral bridge portions 15' turned, from the: plane of; the body" in a common. direction to support opposite wings 1-1 and 18 disposed ina common plane oifset from the plane of the body portion1-5; The'wing 17 is provided at itsopposite ends with extensions 19 and 89 adapted, when the bridge pieces 15 are located between the termini of the lips 37*and4'l, to'project' toward the flanges 29 and- 38 and to engage those surfaces'of" the lips 3.! and 4'! which facez-the" web 28; The, wing 18 is: provided with The channels 48 and 52 Preferably, the element 48 will beformed" with a portion '56 providing projections, substan-- tiall'y'i'n theplane of the web 49, having perfora-- similar extensions 8| and 82 which are similarly engaged with those lips. The body portion 15 is provided at its opposite ends with extensions 83 and 84 adapted to engage the surfaces of the lips El and 55 which face the web 45; and it will be obvious that, when the parts are so assembled, the projections 19, 88, BI, 82, 83 and 84 cooperate with the lips 31', 4|, Hand 55 to prevent separation of the rails 24 and 25 in a direction perpendicular to the Webs 28 and 45, while the bodies of the shoes prevent separation'of said railsvin a direction perpendicular to the flanges 29 and 39. Relative movement between the shoes and the cooperating rails (and therefore between the rails themselves) in the direction of length of the rails, however, is'unimpeded by the structure thus far described.

As is clearly to be seen in Fig. '7, the degree of projection of the extensions 19 and 8| above the upper edges of the. bridge pieces somewhat exoeeds:the degree of, projection of the extension 83; and the degree of projection of the extension 84 below the lower edges of said bridge: pieces similarly exceeds the degree of projection of' the" extensions 88 and82. Consequently, when the parts: are assembled, the surfaces 49' and 63 of't'he members 26 and 25-are disposed substantially in a common plane somewhat below the plane of the surface 38 of the member 24.

As will be apparent from Fig. 1, the table sections 28 and.2l are supported primarily at their remoteends; and no intermediate floor-supported element is provided. A- tendency therefore-exists for theunits 22' and-'23 to sag at their middles' when the table sections are separated; and the means described in the preceding paragraph is provided to compensate for that tendency in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. Similar compensation is effected, of course, in a unit consisting solely of counterparts of the elements 25 and 26 directly joined by shoes 12 and 13.

An ear is turned from the lateral extremity of each wing 11 and E8, in the direction of the Web 28, and the body 15 is formed to provide an integral projection, which may take the form of the extrusion indicated at 85, extending in the direction of the web 45. A stop element 81, fixed with respect to the web 28, and a second stop element 88, similarly fixed and longitudinally spaced from the element 81., cooperate with the ears 85 to limit the degree of movement of the shoe '12 relative to the rail 24. A stop element 89 and a stop element 98, fixedly longitudinally spaced upon the web 45 and projecting therefrom into the path of theextrusion 85, cooperate to limit thedegree of relative movement between the shoe l2 and the rail 25. As shown, the elements 81 and 89 are pins, while the elements 88 and HEB-are extrusions; butit will be understood that any suitable form of stop element, capable of performing the confining function, may be used.

Similarly, the shoe I3 is confined betweenvstop elements 9| and 92 fixed with respect to. the rail- 24 and between stop elements 93- and 94 fixed with respect to the rail 25.

It will be seen that the stopping arrangement maintains a longitudinal spacing (varying in degree) at all-times between the shoes 12 and 13, so that the rails 24 and 25 are suitably braced against relative'separation; and it will further be seen that, because the shoes are longitudinally movable relative to both of the rails, a substantially greater degree of longitudinal relative movement between the rails is possible than could occur if the shoes were fixed relative to either of the rails. It will be apparent that the shoe l4 and its mate, through which the rail is assembled with the rail 24, are similarly cooperative with said rails 24 and 25.

In Fig. 8, I have shown the rail 26 fully retracted with respect to the rail 24; via, in the position of Fig. 3. In this position, the extrusion 90 is engaged with the extrusion 66 of the shoe 72, while the ear 85 of the wing 13 is engaged with the stop pin 67, Thus, the rail 26 is held against movement to the right relative to the shoe 72, and the shoe i2 is held against movement to the right relative to the rail 24. The shoe i3 is engaged by the pin 97, but is not engaged by any element fixed with respect to the rail 29.

Ii, now, the rail 26 is moved toward the left to the position of Fig. 9, the extrusion 96 will leave the shoe 72, the rail 26 sliding with respect to the shoe 12 and probably not causing any movement of said shoe. The pin 94 will leave the shoe i3, which shoe probably will remain stationary with respect to the rail 24, and the extrusion 93 will be moved toward engagement with the extrusion 86 of the shoe it.

Further movement of the rail 26 to the position of Fig. 10 will carry with it the shoe 5%, through engagement between the extrusions 93 and 86; and, at the position of Fig. 10, the pin 69 will engage the extrusion 06 of the shoe i2.

As the rail 26 continues to move to its fully extended position, illustrated in Fig. 11, the extrusion 93 will carry the shoe 73 until the ear 85 of the wing H engages the pin 9!, while the pin 89 carries the shoe I2 until the ear 85 of its wing ll engages the extrusion 38. At this point, the rail 26 is, of course, retained against any further movement toward the left.

As the rail 26 is moved toward the right from the position of Fig. 11, the pin 89 will leave the shoe [2 and the extrusion 93 will leave the shoe 13, the rail 26 moving without affecting the shoes until the pin 94 engages the extrusion 66 of the shoe 13, at the position of Fig. 12, to begin to move said shoe away from the pin 9|. Some time thereafter, the extrusion 90 will engage the extrusion 66 of the shoe T2, whereafter said shoe "#2 will be carried with the rail 26 until its car 95 of its wing I8 engages the pin 87 to stop further movement of the rail 26 with the parts in the positions of Fig. 8.

I claim as my invention:

1. Metal slide structure including a first rail comprising a web, flanges projecting in a common direction from the lateral edges of said Web, lips projecting toward each other from the extremities of said flanges substantially in a common plane parallel with said web and spaced therefrom in said one direction, other flanges projecting in the opposite direction from the lateral edges of said web, and other lips projecting toward each other from the extremities of said other flanges substantially in a common plane parallel with said web and spaced therefrom in said opposite direction, a second rail comprising a web, flanges projecting in a common direction from the lateral edges of said second rail web, and lips projecting toward each other from the extremities of said second rail flanges, two shoes, each straddling said firstnamed lips and said lips of said second rail for longitudinal movement relative to both rails, stop means on both rails positioned in the paths of said shoes to limit such movement, a third rail comprising a web, flanges projecting in a common direction from the lateral edges of said third rail web, and lips projecting toward each other from the extremities of said third rail flanges, two further shoes, each straddling said other lips and said lips of said third rail for longitudinal movement relative to said first rail and said third rail, stop means on said first rail and on said third rail positioned in the paths of said further shoes to limit such movement, said first rail comprising a sheet metal channel having a web and lateral flanges and a second sheet metal channel having a web and lateral flanges, said channels being arranged with their webs in abutment and with their flanges projecting 0ppositely from the plane of abutment of such webs, a third sheet metal channel arranged with its web abutting one flange of each of said first and second channels and with its flanges overlying the free edges of said flanges of said first and second channels, and a fourth sheet metal channel arranged with its web abutting the other flange of each of said first and second channels and with its flanges overlying the free edges of said last-named flanges of said first and second channels.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which each of said second and third rails comprises a sheet metal channel having a web and lateral flanges and a further sheet metal channel for each such flange, each such further channel having a web abutting the outer surface of one flange of said first-named channel, a lateral flange abutting the web of said first-named channel, and a lateral flange overlying the free edge of said one flange of said first-named channel and projecting toward the other flange of said first-named channel.

FREDERICK B. WALTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 402,967 Pratt May 7, 1889 949,119 Gruender Feb. 15, 1910 978,730 Gaut Dec. 13, 1910 986,417 Carnovsky Mar. 7, 1911 1,057,706 Carnovsky Apr. 1, 1913 1,121,627 Hobbs et a1 Dec. 22, 1914 1,130,167 Ingells Mar. 2, 1915 1,335,859 Rogginer Apr. 6, 1920 1,422,142 Smith July 11, 1922 1,577,063 Drew Mar. 16, 1926 1,692,618 Bowers Nov 20, 1928 1,786,045 Vogt Dec. 23, 1930 2,201,414 Vance May 21, 1940 2,323,604 Hyland July 6, 1943 

